THE STORY
OF
ARRABAWN CO-OP
At the AGM in 1946, W. Walsh, Chairman reporting another satisfactory year said that milk intake had increased by 13% and the average price paid was 11.27d/gallon, before going on to congratulate the Minister for Agriculture “on his five year plan to encourage dairying although the price paid is in my opinion a bit low - it has at least given us a guaranteed price and the hope that butter rationing may be removed altogether”.
have been paid to farmers for milk during the year. Taking into account the turnover of £116,000 he did not think so. In May 1951, the committee were informed that two suppliers to Killeen Creamery had tendered milk supplies to Nenagh Creamery. J. Gleeson, Manager, Killeen Creamery had called to T. Ryan, Manager, Nenagh Creamery and informed him that if Nenagh Creamery accepted those suppliers, he would get the cream from Killeen sent to another creamery to be manufactured into butter. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to acquaint the Dairy Inspector of the Department of Agriculture to decide whether they should accept or refuse the suppliers. Pending a reply from the Inspector, Nenagh Creamery continued to accept the milk supply.
Mr Delaney, Toomevara said that the Toomevara suppliers were very well pleased with the milk price they were receiving and they were also glad to be amalgamated with Nenagh Creamery. The levy on Toomevara milk suppliers came up for discussion during the year and it was agreed that Toomevara milk suppliers would be paid the same as Nenagh suppliers from the beginning of 1947.
During Autumn 1951 supply was reported to be back by 10,000 gallons/day.
A peak price of 4/1d lb/bf was paid in 1951. The average milk price for the year was estimated at the equivalent of 1/2d/ gallon to producers. There was a sharp drop in production in the 1951-52 period.
Later in the year an opportunity offered for suppliers to improve their returns when Nenagh Creamery was contacted in relation to supplying 6,000 gallons per day to a proposed Chocolate Factory for Limerick. The return to the creamery would be 1/8d per gallon with a further 1d/gallon if the milk was delivered. Discussing the request the committee felt that it would be worth 3d-4d per gallon increase to suppliers, but were under the impression that it may not be feasible as suppliers would not get back the separated milk. It was decided to put the proposition to the suppliers.
The improvement in milk price during the late 1940’s led to a large increase in production. Milk intake was increasing by up to 50% per annum. In the period 19481950 the supply of milk doubled before a sharp drop in 1951. When the audited accounts for 1950 were presented to the AGM on January 22, 1951, M Walsh, Chairman said that some farmers may think that the profit for the year, amounting to £1,119. 12s. 0d. was very large and that a higher price should
The improvement in milk price during the early and mid 1940’s, which encouraged the increase in production, 88